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TunisiaSyria: Military action in Idlib would be a humanitarian catastrophe, Mogherini says
“Syria does not need further bloodshed and Syrian people have suffered enough,” the High Representative Federica Mogherini warned speaking about a possible full-scale military operation in the Idlib Province. Syria figured very high on the agenda of the informal meetings of both the EU Ministers of Defence and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Vienna late last week. After years of conflict, a reprisal of military activities in Idlib, the last remaining de-escalation zone, would result in a humanitarian catastrophe.
“We discussed ways in which we can increase even more our humanitarian assistance for Syrians, including inside Syria, while still keeping a very clear position on the fact that European Union money for reconstruction in Syria will only come once the political process will be firmly underway under UN auspices,” Mogherini said on Friday, speaking to the press in the Austrian capital.
Mogherini also announced that the European Union will host a ministerial meeting on Syria in New York in the margins of the next UN General Assembly.
“We see the need to prevent and avoid a military action in Idlib that would be a humanitarian catastrophe,” the High Representative said. The EU subscribes to the appeal of the UN General Assembly calling on all parties to take all necessary measures to safeguard civilian lives. Mogherini said she was in contact with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi during his visit to Syria.
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